Welcome to Fresher Living with Seal It.
What you can (and can't) vacuum seal
A quick reference before your first seal. Tap any card for exact prep instructions.
Tap any card to see how to prep it.
Meat and protein
Raw meat and poultry
Works as-is
Pat the surface dry with paper towel and it seals perfectly. For very wet mince, put a folded square of paper towel in the bottom of the bag to catch run-off and keep the valve clear.
Fish and seafood
Works as-is
The single best use for this. Wrap prawn heads or sharp fins in paper towel so they don't pierce the bag, and keep one bag as your dedicated fish bag — the smell lingers.
Deli meats and cheese
Works as-is
Hard and semi-hard cheese keeps for weeks longer without drying or moulding at the cut face. Very soft cheese will compress, so use a container for brie and similar.
Cooked meat
Prep needed
Cool completely to room temperature before sealing. Hot food creates steam inside the bag which breaks the seal.
Wet or saucy meat
Prep needed
Pat dry with paper towel first. For meat in marinade or sauce, freeze solid then vacuum seal once frozen.
Fruit and vegetables
Hard vegetables
Works as-is
Carrots, capsicum, celery, beans and snow peas all seal straight away. Celery in particular goes from about a week to several. Wash and dry them first — surface water inflates the bag.
Firm fruit
Works as-is
Apples, pears and citrus are fine. Berries and anything very ripe will crush — freeze those on a tray first, or use a container.
Leafy greens
Prep needed
Blanch in boiling water for 60 seconds, ice bath, dry fully, then seal. Raw leafy greens release CO₂ after sealing and puff the bag back up. That's the food, not a leak. For salad leaves you want to keep crisp, use a container instead.
Broccoli and cabbage
Prep needed
Blanch first, same as leafy greens. These off-gas the most. Skip the blanch and the bag will look full of air within a day. Blanch and they store for weeks.
Cucumber and zucchini
Prep needed
Pat completely dry or pre-freeze for 30 minutes before sealing. High moisture turns to vapour inside the bag and inflates it.
Liquids and wet foods
Soups and stews
Prep needed
Freeze solid in a container first. Transfer to the bag and vacuum seal once frozen. Leave a few centimetres of headspace.
Sauces and marinades
Prep needed
Freeze flat in a container first, then transfer and seal. Never vacuum seal liquid at room temperature, it will get drawn into the unit.
Hot liquids
Don't seal
Never seal hot liquids. Cool to room temperature first, then freeze solid before attempting to seal.
Dry goods and other
Bread and baked goods
Works as-is
Seal gently — don't pull it fully tight or you'll compress the loaf. Expect the bag to re-expand slightly over a day. That's air held in the crumb, not a failed seal.
Nuts and snacks
Works as-is
One of the best uses. Nuts, coffee, dried fruit and flour all go stale or rancid from air contact. Sealed, they keep for months. Small bags are ideal.
Dry kibble and pet food
Works as-is
Split a big bag into meal-sized portions so the rest doesn't go stale. Raw pet food seals the same way as raw meat — use a separate bag for it.
Meal prep portions
Works as-is
Cool to fridge temperature first, then seal flat. Flat bags stack like books and you'll fit far more in a freezer drawer than the same food left rounded.
Carbonated items
Don't seal
Gas pressure fights the vacuum and releases after sealing. Not suitable.
Why did my bag puff back up?
Some foods release CO₂ and moisture after sealing, this inflates the bag from the inside. The bag isn't leaking. The usual culprits are leafy greens, broccoli, cucumber, and meat that wasn't patted dry first. The prep tips above tell you exactly how to fix each one.
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